Uniform cap washing and drying form



April 1943- s. SUGAR UNIFORM CAP WASHING AND DRYING FORM Filed April 22,1942 Patented Apr. 13, 1943 UNIFORIH CAP WASHING AND DRYHTG FORM SamuelSugar, Chicago, 111.

Application April 22, 1942, Serial No. 439,972

4 Claims.

This application relates to forms to facilitate washing of uniform capcovers of the type having and must then be pressed or blocked back intoshape. Cap covers ordinarily comprise a large flat top or crown portionand a band portion of smaller circumference. Due to the greater size ofthe crown portion than of the band portion, solid blocking forms areunsatisfactory, and it has heretofore been proposed to employ stretchingforms comprising sheet metal members which can be collapsed together forinsertion into the cap cover and then expanded by means of in ternalbracing members to stretch the cap to the desired extent. Suchcollapsible metal forms are cumbersome to operate due to the number ofparts and the necessity for accurate adjustment of the collapsiblemembers, and are bulky to carry about. Also the metal forms becomecorroded and tend to collect dust and dirt so that the cap cover appliedthereon becomes discolored.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive andlight, yet sturdy, and highly practical form for maintaining the shapeof cap covers during washing and drying.

It is a further object to provide a form for use in washing and dryingcap covers which employs only a minimum of metal, or no metal at all, sothat the problem of avoiding corrosion of cap cover forms anddiscoloration of cap covers is substantially eliminated.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a cap cover formwhich may be inserted into a cap cover as a unit without the necessityfor collapsing, unfolding, and adjusting of internal bracing members,and which serves to hold the cap cover in shape during washing anddrying.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from aconsideration of the following detailed specification.

Accordingly, for a more complete understand ing of the invention,reference is made to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a sideelevation showing a cap cover stretched on my improved cap cover form;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of my improved cap cover form;

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2,showing my improved cap cover form with a cap cover thereon, and showingin detail the stiffened connecting member holding the crown-shapingportion and the bandshaping portion together as a unit.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. l, the washing anddrying form I (shown in dotted lines) is disposed in a conventional capcover 2 comprising a top or crown portion 3 of generally circular oroval outline, a band portion 5. of a circumference smaller than that ofthe top or crown portion, and an intermediate portion 5 connecting thecrown portion 3 and the band portion 4.

As shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, the form t of my inventioncomprises a crown-shaping spring, ring 6, a band-shaping frame or bandI, and a connecting member 8 holding the ring 6 and frame 1 in spacedrelation. The spring ring 6 is a flat, flexible, relatively narrow bandof a circumference substantially equal to the inside circumference ofthe crown or top portion 3 of a cap cover 2. As shown in Fig. 3, thespring ring 6 extends along the seam 9 between the top 3 of the capcover 2 and the intermediate portion 5, and resiliently holds the top orcrown 3 flat and smooth for washing and drying. The ring 6 may comprisea lacquered strip of steel in the form of a ring. Alternately the ring 6may be of metal wrapped in waterproof sheet material, or may be formedof other springy material, such as a plastic, e. g., Celluloid, theflexibility being such that it can readily be introduced into a capcover 2 through the narrow band portion 4.

The band-shaping frame or band 1, comprising a second part of the formI, has a width and a circumference substantially equal to the width andinner circumference of the cap cover band 4. This frame 7 desirably isformed of a stiff strip ID of waterproof, plastic material, such asCelluloid or similar material secured in the form of a ring by clips orrivets Ii extending through the overlapping ends of the strip id. Theframe I must be formed of material of sufficient strength to preventexcessive shrinking of the cap cover band 4 when the frame F is in placein the band 4 during drying.

Connecting the crown-shaping ring 6' and the band-shaping frame 7 is awide strip !2 of flexible, waterproof material. As shown best in Fig. 3,the strip I2 comprises a ply l3 of relatively heavy duck and a secondply Hi of washable leatherette. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the plies areheld together by stitching I5 adjacent the edges of the assembled plies.A hem I5 is formed by stitching I'I spaced from one end of the strip I2to receive the crown-shaping ring 6. The strip I2 may have a Width ofabout 3 to 9 inches at the end adjacent the hem I6, and about 2 to 6inches at the other end. These dimensions are, however, only exemplaryand are not to be understood as in any way to limit the invention.Suitably the strip I2 has a length substantially equal to the sum of thewidths of the band 4 and intermediate portion 5. A wide, flat stiffenermember I8 is secured between the plies I3 and I4 of the strip in thecenter portion of strip I2, with one end adjacent the inner edge of hemI6 and the other end terminating at the lower edge of strip I2, by a rowof stitching I9 extending through the plies and stiffener.

The strip I2 is secured to the band-shaping frame 'I by stitching whichextends through the plies I3 and I4, stiffener I8, and the overlappingends of strip I 0. This stiflened strip I2 holds the ring 6 in spacedrelation to the frame I so that when the form I is in place in a capcover 2, with the stiffened strip I2 at the front of the cap cover, theintermediate portion 5 of the cap cover in the front portion of the capwill be held smooth.

Also, the strip I2 connects the ring 6 and frame I so that they may beeasily and quickly inserted as a unit into a cap cover 2 for washing anddrying, and may be quickly removed from the can cover 2 without creasingor crumpling the can cover. To apply the form I to a cap cover 2, thespring ring 6 is flexed and passed through the frame I. The frame I isthen positioned in the band 4 of the cap cover 2, with the strip I2 at;the front of the cap cover 2. The crownshaping ring 6 is flexed andpassed back through the frame I, and then expands into contact with theseam 9 between the crown portion 3 and the intermediate portion 5 of thecap cover 2 to hold the crown smooth and taut. The outer surface of theframe I is in contact with the inner surface of the band 4 of the capcover 2, and holds the cap-cover band 4 smooth and prevents excessiveshrinking during washing and drying. The relatively wide connectingstrip I2 between the ring 6 and the frame I stretches the intermediateportion 5 at the front of the cap so that the intermediate portion 5dries smooth and free from wrinkles. When the cap cover 2 has driedafter washing, the form I is removed by grasping the crown-shaping ring5 and pulling it outwardly through the opening in the band-shaping frameI. The band-shaping frame 1 itself is then withdrawn. On removal of theband-shaping frame I3, it will be found that the cap cover 2 has driedsmoothly, with the top 3 and band 4 smooth and wrinkle-free, and withthe intermediate portion 5 at the front of the cap cover 2 also smoothand free from wrinkles.

Thus it will be seen that I have provided a cap-cover form which isextremely simple in construction and inexpensive to construct, andwhich, moreover, can be formed of materials which are readily availablenotwithstanding the ban on the use of metals. Also, due to the small useof metal parts, the tendency to discolor cap covers with which it isused is substantially eliminated. The form is simple to use since it canbe inserted as a unit into a cap cover without the juggling ofcollapsible parts and internal bracing arms, and gives highlysatisfactory results.

It is not intended that the description heretofore given of theinvention and/or the showing thereof set forth in the drawing islimiting in any respect of the monopoly claimed by applicant. It is onthe contrary intended that all claims hereinafter allowed, whether madeinitially or to be added (assuming that they are properly supportable bythe drawing and/or specification and/or claims originally made herein),shall be the measure of the scope of the invention herein set forth.Accordingly, and with the foregoing in mind, what is claimed as new andis desired to be secured by Letters Patent is (remembering that claimsbroader than those now included may hereafter be found properlyincludable herein):

I claim:

1. A removable form for uniform cap covers comprising a flat, narrow,flexible spring ring of circumference corresponding to the insidecircumference of the crown or top portion of a cap cover, a stiff bandor frame of awidth and circumference corresponding to the width andinterior circumference of a cap-cover band, and a stiffened memberconnecting the wide band and the narrow spring ring for insertion of theband and ring as a unit into a can cover to hold the cap band and capcrown or top portion smooth during washing and drying, and removal as aunit, said stiffened member maintaining the band and ring inpredetermined spaced relation.

2. A removable form for uniform cap covers comprising a flexible springring of circumference corresponding to the inside circumference of thecrown or top portion of a cap cover, a stiff band or frame ofcircumference corresponding to that of the inside of the cap-cover band,a stiffened strip rigidly secured adjacent one end to the band or frameand pivotally connected to the spring ring to maintain the band and ringin spaced relation for insertion as a unit into a cap cover with thespring ring extending along the inside of the rim of the cap cover andthe stiff band or frame in contact with the inside of the band to shapethe top and the band, respectively, of the cap cover.

3. A removable form for uniform cap covers comprising a flexible springring of circumference corresponding to the inside circumference of thecrown or top portion of a cap cover, a stiff band or frame ofcircumference corresponding to that of the inside of the cap-cover band,a wide, flexible strip connecting the ring and the band or frame, and astiffener for the strip having one end rigidly connected to the band orframe to maintain the band and ring in spaced relation for insertion asa unit into a cap cover, with the spring ring extending along the insideof the crown or top of the cap cover and the band or frame in contactwith the inside of the capcover band to maintain the top of the capcover and the cap-cover band, respectively, smooth during washing anddrying.

4. A removable form for uniform cap covers having a band, anintermediate connecting portion and a top or crown portion, said formcomprising a flat, relatively narrow, flexible spring ring ofcircumference corresponding to the inside circumference of the crown ortop portion of a cap cover, a stiff band 01' frame of width andcircumference substantially equal to the width and circumference of theinside of the cap-cover band, a wide, flexible strip having one endsewed to the band or frame and having a hem at the ing the band and ringtogether for insertion as a 10 unit into a cap cover, with the flexiblespring ring extending along the inside of the crown or top of the capcover and the band or frame in contact with the inside of the cap-coverband to maintain the top of the cap cover, the cap-cover band, and theintermediate connecting portion of the cap cover adjacent the wide,flexible band smoot during washing and drying.

SAMUEL SUGAR,

